• Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. (Nov. 22) – Behind kill/dig double-doubles by senior Molly Delaney (Carmel, Ind./Westfield) and junior Laurel Miller (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), the Vulcans advanced in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament with a 3-1 win (25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13) against host Shippensburg in the semifinals on Friday night at Heiges Field House.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team, the No. 2 seed from the West, improves to 28-7 overall and will face Pitt-Johnstown, the No. 2 seed from the East, in the PSAC Championship tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. The match will broadcast live throughout the state on PCN and will be available to watch through the PCN Mobile App.

Miller posted a match high with 16 kills on 51 attempts and tallied 15 digs, while Delaney finished with 11 kills and 13 digs. Both All-PSAC West First-Team selections recorded their 15th kill/dig double-doubles of the year. Miller also collected three service aces and two blocks and Delaney added two aces and four blocks on Friday.

Sophomore Mary Lavery (La Plata, Md./La Plata) added seven kills on 22 attempts and classmate Miranda Fouzie (Kingston, Ontario/Sydenham) totaled a team-high six blocks. Senior Abbey Freund (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) and freshman Kristen Scurpa (Sharpsville, Pa./Sharpsville) directed the offense with 18 and 11 assists, respectively, against the Raiders. Sophomore libero Samantha Rudy (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) paced the defensive effort with 21 digs and was one of three players to record double-digit digs.

Shippensburg earned the opening four points of the match and held a 7-3 lead before Cal U mounted an 8-1 run to claim an 11-8 lead. The Raiders won four of the next five points to tie the score at 12-12 before the Vulcans went on a 5-1 rally to reclaim the lead at 17-13. The two teams traded points before Cal U won the last points to win the first set 25-17.

The teams traded points to start the second set before the Raiders scored three-straight points to take a 12-9 lead.  Cal U countered with three-consecutive points before the teams traded the next six points to even the score at 15-15. The Raiders then mounted a 10-4 run to win the second set at 25-19 and tie the match score at 1-1.

In the third set, the Vulcans jumped out to a 7-3 lead before the teams traded the next three points. Cal U then seized control of the set by mounting a 7-1 rally to take a 15-6 lead before Shippensburg earned two of the next three points. The Raiders and Vulcans then traded runs of back-to-back points for the final 12 points of the set with Cal U taking a 2-1 match lead following a 25-18 victory.

The Raiders took an early 5-3 lead in the fourth set before the Vulcans went on an 8-1 run to take an 11-6 lead. Following back-to-back points by Shippensburg, Cal U won five-straight points to stretch its lead to 16-8. The Raiders earned three of the next four points before the Vulcans mounted a 7-1 rally to earn the match victory with a 25-13 win in the fourth set.

Cal U will face league-newcomer Pitt-Johnstown in the PSAC Championship tomorrow at 2 p.m. Earlier this year, the Vulcans earned a 3-0 victory against the Mountain Cats, which are led by first-year head coach and former Cal U standout Joanna (Nist) Haupt. UPJ advanced to the title match with a 3-1 win against Gannon, the No. 4 seed from the West, on Friday evening.